Precor Incorporated

Robert J Silbernagel

Mark E Ainsworth

Susan W M Bell

James S Birrell

Jonathan M Stewart

David E Dyer

Sean K Horita

Peter J Arnold

Gregory B May

Victor Pipinich

Rodney Bramel

A system and method manage distribution of fitness equipment units based upon automatically collected usage information for the fitness equipment units.

Fitness facility equipment usage control system

Fitness facility equipment distribution management

An elliptical exercise device including a frame having a pivot axis, a foot link, a coupling, a swing arm, an engagement mechanism, and a guide system. The foot link has rearward, forward and foot support portions. The foot support portion has a central location. The coupling couples the rearward portion to the pivot axis so that the rearward portion of each foot link travels in a closed path relative to the pivot axis. The engagement mechanism has a first portion coupled to the swing arm and a second portion coupled to the foot link at a location rearward of the central location. The guide system supports the forward portion of the foot link along a preselected reciprocating path of travel as the rearward portion of the foot link travels along its path of travel. The guide system is selectably positionable in a plurality of different positions.

Adjustable total body cross-training exercise device

An electronic method of obtaining exercise equipment information. The method including using a first control server associated with a first fitness facility to gather first usage information from a first fitness equipment unit, sending the first usage information from the control server to an accumulated data storage unit, and using the first control server associated with the first fitness facility to gather second usage information from a second fitness equipment unit. The method further including sending the second usage information from the control server to the accumulated data storage unit, and sending the first usage information from the accumulated data storage unit information to a requester.

Fitness facility equipment usage control system and method

A system and method control usage of exercise equipment by: using a control server remote from a first fitness equipment unit to gather usage information at a fitness facility including the first fitness equipment unit; using the control server to communicate a maximum available individual workout time setting to the first fitness equipment unit based on the gathered usage information; and applying the maximum available individual workout time setting to the first fitness equipment unit.

A display system for exercise equipment in accordance with the present invention includes a processor, a memory, a metric sensor and a metric display. The memory in communication with the processor. The metric sensor operably coupled to the processor. The metric sensor senses an extent of a metric of a user of the exercise equipment. The metric display is operably coupled to the metric sensor and displays the user metric in a generally oscillating manner.

Metric display for exercise equipment

An electronic method of obtaining a service alert pertaining to exercise equipment uses a control server associated with a fitness facility to gather service information from at least one fitness equipment unit. The method further includes determining whether the service information gathered is significant, automatically sending a service alert message to at least one predefined recipient regarding service information that is significant.

Service tracking and alerting system for fitness equipment

An exercise device includes a frame defining a longitudinal axis. A foot link includes a rearward portion that is constrained to move in an orbital path approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis and a forward portion that reciprocally engages the guide track. A swing arm is a pivotally connected to the frame, the swing arm having an upper portion extending above the pivotal connection and a lower portion disposed below the pivotal connection. An engagement mechanism having a first portion coupled to the lower portion and a second portion coupled to the forward portion of the foot link, such that a rearward force applied to the upper portion will produce a force on the forward portion having a downward component. An arm enabling/disabling mechanism is positioned on the elongate swing arm below the pivotal connection. The arm enabling/disabling mechanism can be effectuated by a user without the user interrupting exercise.

Elliptical exercise equipment with stowable arms

A service tracking and alerting system for fitness equipment () includes one or more subsystems of multiple control servers () (ICS) to gather real time information from one or more fitness equipment units () (FEU) via wireless connection and store such information in a temporary database (). Multiple ICSs are linked to a remotely located accumulated data storage unit or silo () having a permanent storage database (). One or more silos () and their corresponding ICSs are controlled, accessed, and interrogated through an enterprise level platform (). Service alert messages may be generated and sent to one or more recipients if an FEU experiences a significant service event. Also, a reporting interface () allows users to access, enter, update and/or alter, service usage, warranty, and other information from the data storage units () and ICSs ().

A non-conductive insulating ring () is inserted between a motor bell () and a motor bearing () that supports a motor shaft (). Stray currents that normally discharge thorough the motor shaft and the motor bearing to the motor bell are prevented due to the non-conductive nature of the insulating ring. Additionally, the motor shaft is grounded to provide a low-impedance alternative path to stray shaft currents. When a fast-switching frequency converter is used to drive the motor shaft, additional arrangements such as a common mode choke, reduction of the switching frequency of the converter, and reduction of the turn-of/off rate of a semiconductor device used in the converter, may be provided to further reduce the stray currents flowing thorough the motor bearings.

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Sammamish, WA, United States of America

Robert J Silbernagel